How to Care for Sterling Silver Jewelry

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Ever wondered why your sterling silver jewelry tarnished, or how you could prevent sterling silver jewelry from tarnishing?  If you store your sterling silver jewelry in open air, you expose it to air and humidity, which can cause it to tarnish. Tarnishing is normal process that is caused by oxidization and moisture from air and even sunshine. All high quality sterling silver is subject to tarnishing.  it is a common misconception that only sterling silver-plated items or silver-tone items will tarnish.

Tarnishing sometimes first appears as a golden glow and can quickly turn to black. If you wear your jewelry regularly, body oils will help avoid some tarnishing.  This is why your favorite charm bracelet that wear every day might not tarnish, and an item that you wear less often will appear to tarnish more quickly.

To reduce tarnishing, try keeping your sterling silver jewelry in an air-tight protective bag made of tarnish proof cloth or a plastic zip lock bag made of Mylar or polyethylene.

If your sterling silver jewelry does become tarnished, often you can simply rub your sterling silver jewelry gently with a clean, 100% cotton cloth to remove excess dirt and restore shine. Be sure not to rub too hard, because sterling silver is a soft metal that can be bent and scratched. Rub in a lengthwise motion.

Other helpful tips for keeping your sterling silver jewelry looking great:

1. Always remove your jewelry before using abrasive chemicals such as bleach, alcohol, etc.
2. Clean your jewelry before storing it
3. Prevent tarnishing by cleaning before the silver becomes tarnished
4. Lotions can wear away at the finish on your sterling silver, so avoid wearing them on surfaces that come in contact with your jewelry
5. Remove jewelry when doing household chores